I’ve risen quickly in my organisation, but I’ve found myself in the ‘capability trap’ – doing a role simply because I can, while spending over 50% of my time on tasks that don’t excite me. When I apply for roles in other organisations, I reach the interview stage but consistently miss out on the final offer. I’m confident in my CV, but I’m starting to feel demoralised and cynical.

I’ve heard this same struggle from so many others, and here are my insights.

Motivation

I’ve pinpointed this challenge at stage three of the Intentional Careers™ journey. This stage, often termed the ‘unsustainable stage,’ is where you feel the simultaneous urge to escape your current situation while feeling utterly trapped.

This is not the moment to chase after the next shiny object or make hasty, fear-based decisions. Instead, it’s time to define what you truly want and take action towards it. I recommend using my Career Pivots® Compass methodology to guide you through this process.

 

No Magic Shortcuts

There are no magical shortcuts; applying for jobs takes time. You’ve probably heard this statistic:

Men apply for jobs when they meet 60% of the qualifications, while women apply only if they meet 100%

This insight stems from a Hewlett Packard internal report, cited in Lean In, The Confidence Code, and countless other articles. The usual takeaway is that women need more confidence and should have more faith in themselves.

However, this misses the point. When asked why they didn’t apply, the top response from everyone irrespective of gender identity was:

“I didn’t think they would hire me since I didn’t meet the qualifications, and I didn’t want to waste my time and energy.”

Resist the Resistance

The longer a job search drags on, the more time-consuming and emotionally draining it becomes. You might even begin to feel resistance towards making applications. In fact, 89% of LinkedIn users who responded to my survey agreed that changing jobs is both an emotional and practical journey.

With each rejection, we may experience a wide range of emotions: rejection, failure, inadequacy, embarrassment, fear, resentment… The longer this cycle continues, the harder it becomes to take action. As time goes on, people often do less to improve their situation in order to avoid facing these uncomfortable emotions again.

That’s why it’s so important to have the tools and support needed to navigate discomfort while still taking aligned action.

Aligned Action

We can all do tasks that don’t play to our strengths, but these tasks inevitably take more time, energy, and joy. What we lack in natural ability, we make up for with sheer grit, determination, and hard work.

Are you in the capability trap? How much of your time at work is spent on activities that energise you, rather than drain you? You might be surprised by what you discover.

If you find yourself in the capability trap, it’s an excellent opportunity for a Career Pivot®. Don’t try to fit yourself into the current job market based solely on your skills and experience. Instead, flip that thinking. Audit your natural talents, find roles that align with those talents, and create a self-leadership pathway with opportunities for growth.

Career Pivot #1 – The Capability Trap

The easiest way out of the capability trap is to find a role that aligns with your talents, either internally (if no major issues like career values conflicts or vision misalignment exist) or, if necessary, by making an external move.

Don’t Wait – Create

Setting up job alerts for your dream organisations is a great start, but don’t just wait for opportunities – create them.

According to a ResumeBuilder survey of 1,641 hiring managers, 40% admitted to posting fake job adverts this year. Companies use these listings to appear open to external talent (67%), project growth (66%), and make employees feel replaceable (62%), among other reasons.

As alarming as this is, I’ve personally observed that up to 80% of job adverts (depending on the sector) are posted externally when an internal candidate has already been selected. These ads often have short deadlines, lack contact details, and list qualifications that only an internal candidate could meet.

But don’t despair – you can create your own opportunities by positioning yourself effectively, leveraging your network, and clearly articulating the quantifiable value you bring.

Next Steps

Our mission is to take you from being unconscious, unfulfilled, or unsustainable (stages 1, 2, or 3) to feeling purposeful and valued in the workplace (stages 4 and 5). We have the strategy, tools, support, and guidance to help you craft your Intentional Career™.

Take one action today: complete the Career Accelerator Scorecard in under 3 minutes to benchmark your career and receive a personalised insights report. ➡️ Take the Scorecard.
If you have any questions, I’m just one email away.

Keep opening up,
Hannah

 

When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you:

• 💻 Want an intentional career? Check out the Career Design Mastermind and book a call to see if it’s the right fit for you. Only one spot left for October and 22 places for January 2025.
• 🎤 Need an inspiring speaker for your next event? Hit reply or visit hannahnikeroberts.com.
• 🎙️ Listen to the latest episodes of the Women in STEM Career & Confidence podcast, featuring Lauren Mullin, Ph.D., Lead Analytical Scientist at Arxada and founder of ChemHerstory. Across three episodes, we’ll meet inspirational women from history, with remarkable insights and personal reflections shared by Lauren.

Episode highlights:

• Hertha Ayrton (1854–1923) – A British inventor, mathematician, engineer, and suffragist, and the first woman to present at the Royal Society. (🎙️ iTunes │🎙️ Spotify )
• Dr Kamala Sohonie (1911–1998) – The first Indian woman to earn a doctorate in science, whose work improved nutrition for women and children. (🎙️ iTunes │ 🎙️Spotify )
• Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-1997) was a Chinese-American physicist who has been referred to as the First Lady of Physics for her contributions to the field (🎙️out now).